Rome 3 July 2019 – “It will be a legislature for a Europe able to invest on social dimension; citizens are asking us to be active on politics developing jobs and investments. Our young are often forgot. We need institution more close to the needs of our people, our citizens and European citizens”. Soon after his election as new European Parliament president David Sassoli answers questions from Italian journalists keen to highlight how Italian Democratic Party, S&D group, is not in power in Italy “I hope Italians are happy today” he answers smiling in a optimistic call to unify a politically divided and conflicting country fighting with the EU over immigration policies and debt and concerned by and increasingly infighting coalition government.

KEY SENTENCES OF THE SPEECH:  

“The European Union is not just a mistake in the course of history. I am the son of a man who in his twenties fought against other Europeans and of a mother who in her twenties had to flee her home and find refuge with others families. And I am sure this is the story of many of your families”

“Our history is written on sufferance, on the blood of young British exterminated on the Normandy’s shores”.

“Nobody can be condemned for holding a particular political or religious or philosophical persuasion. Young people have to be able to travel and study and fall in love without any restriction”.

“We mustn’t allow any European to be humiliated or squeezed out of society because of their sexual orientation”.

“Within Europe in one way or another Social cover is part of our identity our economic model our social market economy needs to have fresh life breathed into it. Our economic rules must bring together growth with social protection and respect to the environment. We need appropriate instruments to fight poverty and hold out prospects for our young people”.

EP President David-Maria Sassoli Photo ©EP  European Union

David Sassoli elected President of the European Parliament with 345 votes out of 667 at the second round after a shift of 20 votes previously spread among Germn Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA) Spanish Sira REGO (GUE/NGL) and Czech Jan ZAHRADIL (ECR)